There are over 30 million songs on Spotify, 45 million songs on Apple Music, and 125 million songs on Soundcloud. With these numbers, it’s no wonder that there are so many hidden gems out there, just waiting to be discovered. Below is a list of unbelievable songs released within the past five years that are still shockingly unknown. Before the year ends, let’s take the time to discover new tunes and give attention to undiscovered music that deserves far more than they get.

Heartless (The Voice Performance), Taylor John Williams

Artist/Song Genre: Rock Soul

OK, so this is a cover. But Taylor John Williams is so brilliant, he deserved to be on this list, taking his own spot at the top. Do yourself a favor, and compare this version to Kanye West’s original arrangement. Although some amateur covers ultimately prove the original artist injustice, I can promise you right now that it will be near impossible for anyone to not fall in love with Williams’ vocal and the way he haunts us through his acoustic arrangement.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFX9ZPc8fj8 [/embedyt]

If I Was the Devil, Matt McAndrew

Artist/Song Genre: Rock

Matt McAndrew is the embodiment of a musical blender. One second, he’s a soulful hard rock artist, and the next, he’s meddling with folk-pop. To combine a set of genres into one work is impressive enough; just watch what he does with rock, pop, and a little bit of R&B.

“Hey, miss independent

Why’s your face so long

You moved out to la la land

To sing the world your songs”

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtueNWS0B9Q [/embedyt]

Chokehold, Colin Kamari

Artist/Song Genre: Hip-hop, Rap

Everyone’s been through heartbreak and character revelations. Finding that someone close to you is not who you thought they were can be devastating, but Kamari found a way to turn those negative feelings into empowerment. He turns a loss into a positive learning experience and tops it with an interesting beat with lyrics that everyone can relate to.

“Shawty say she an angel with a halo

Where the halo?”

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r24NWP_WZBE [/embedyt]

R&B 90’s Vibe, Josh Kaufman

Artist/Song Genre: Rhythm and Blues

As it clearly states in his title, Josh Kaufman creates a perfect blend between R&B and 90’s sound. This song is so unique, it’s shocking to see that seven months later, it still has less than one bar on Spotify. This song is a classic example of a “hidden gem.” Give the song some justice!

“Spoon Fed” is about goals—the past, the future, and prosperity—and Colin Kamari communicates this message with maturity, awareness, and style. “Spoon Fed” has a unique beat you don’t see in modern hip-hop today, doubled with an anti-pop style. The song oozes in uniqueness and stylistic risks, and it deserves to be admired.

“I went through a whole lot of things that I shouldn’t have

‘Bouta take a whole lot of risks that you wouldn’t have

And my kids gon’ have a whole lot of things that I couldn’t have

But they won’t be spoon fed, they’re gon’ make their own bread”

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXHS7jUG6OU[/embedyt]

Hard Day, Matt McAndrew

Artist/Song Genre: Rock

Everyone has bad days. Instead of sulking about it, Matt McAndrew shares with us the power of owning it. He takes a modern spin on post-alternative rock, and you’ll hear it within his first few lines.

James Wolpert’s “Blondie”depicts a coming-of-age story, told from the perspective of a tortured man losing sleep over a toxic love. When you’ve been through it, it hits different. Wolpert makes it out in the end, but not before he takes you through the pain and frustration that comes with this kind of love.

“Ecstatic” is a song about self-love, growth, and reflection. It’s the kind of song that pumps you up but also gets you in your feels just thinking about how far you’ve gotten. It’s one of the best feelings in the world, and everyone deserves to feel it.

That’s right, another Matt McAndrew song. This one’s about hardship and perseverance. And again, he shares with us a unique approach to modern rock. His lyrics go hard, but his guitar riff goes harder.

Another very unique addition to the hip-hop side of this list is Matty Wood$’ “Sunday.” It’s laid back, relaxing, and fun, and it challenges all of the predictable norms of standard modern hip-hop and rap.

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